


Thunder & Silence

by LightningClawedSky



Category: Subarashiki Kono Sekai | The World Ends With You
Genre: Gen, Hanahaki Disease, M/M, not edited
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-17
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2020-01-15 14:37:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18501019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LightningClawedSky/pseuds/LightningClawedSky
Summary: Raekai Ikuto has never been much of a kind person from what Kariya has known of him, hell, he's a murderer and the worse kind of person in Kariya's book. After a conversation in the park, where Raekai was honest and sane, the Harrier meets the Officer once again during a terrible storm and offers his hand; his feelings towards the other are changing. Will Raekai's feelings change as well?





	Thunder & Silence

**Author's Note:**

> Unedited; not checked for grammar and spelling since I wrote this for my RP partner on tumblr lol

Rain poured and thunder crackled overhead. Of course, the streets of Shibuya were practically empty in the worsening conditions, aside from the occasional car passing, struggling to get to their desired location and out of the rain.

And then there was Raekai.

Raekai didn't work inside the norm, anyone and everyone who had met him could tell you that without hesitation. He was loud, obnoxious and abrasive to the very core of his being. That was something that Kariya was all too familiar with, although he knew there was another side to the Officer, something soft, tired, and vulnerable. Kariya knew, that Raekai ultimately didn't want to be what he was often perceived as, but took up the role anyways. Kariya knew that Raekai just felt and perceived the world differently. He was merely given a bad hand of cards in the UG, and tried to make the best of it.

Kariya bit the inside of his lip as he watched Raekai shamble past the store he was hiding from the storm in. Conflicted feelings swarm around inside of the Harrier; he knew that if he were to hold out his hand, the chances of Raekai biting it were almost guaranteed. Yet, he couldn't forget how  _ genuine _ Raekai was with him in the park that night, despite the other not remembering a word that was said. They may have been Reapers, but they were still  _ human  _ at the end of the day. And as hard as that was to believe, Raekai was still human himself; to an extent, at least.

Other customers let out a grumble at the sharp wind and wet spray that entered through the door as kariya exited. He stood under the awning, out of the majority of the downpour, but he could still feel droplets of water on his arms.

Kariya cleared his throat. He could feel stray petals stick to his tongue.

“Yo, Rae!” Kariya let out a shout, cupping his hands around his mouth, as if it would help him sound louder through the wind and rain. Raekai kept on walking, either not hearing or just not  _ caring _ . Both were likely, it  _ was _ Raekai.

Kariya let out a sigh, holding up an arm against the rain, as if that would actually help him be dry. As Kariya made his way closer, he realized that Raekai’s wings weren’t visible, and not only that, he was sopping wet. Silvery hair, darkened to a wet gray, stuck to the Officer’s face, the paint Raekai usually smeared onto his face ran down his chin, dripping off like watered down blood. It soaked into his shirt, wet and clinging to his skin, defining nearly every rippling muscle as he walked. Kariya stopped walking for a moment, staring at Raekai, almost in awe, at how strangely and effortlessly attractive he was regardless of the situation.

He could feel a flower bloom in his chest.

Kariya resumed his walk, placing his hand on Raekai's shoulder, looking up at the Officer with confusion and furrowed eyebrows. Raekai looked down at him, mild surprise melting into a softly annoyed frown.

“Wha’ d'ya wan’?”

“You  feelin’ okay?”

Raekai let out a dry laugh, looking away. “‘M a Reaper, y'know. Are we  _ ever _ okay?”

Kariya drew in a sharp breath as he listened to Raekai speak. With every word he said, Kariya wanted to close his eyes and listen to whatever Raekai had to say, no matter what it was, Kariya knew that it would sound as sweet as honey. He blinked, quickly realizing that he should probably respond, or risk Raekai walking away.

“You know what I mean. Nobodies walking around in a storm like this.”

“I am. Now so are ya.”

Kariya let out an amused chuckle, pursing his lips into a smile. “I suppose I am.” He tilted his head to the side, peering at the other Reaper over his droplet covered glasses. “Alright, let me rephrase that, why are  _ you _ out in this shitty weather?”

Raekai raised an eyebrow, confusion clearly written on his face. _ Why _ Kariya seemed to take an interest in him was beyond the genius; it wasn't as cut and dry as writing code. There was no black and white factor to it, no one's and zeros he could make sense of. It was  _ emotions _ , and that wasn't something he fully understood.

To Raekai, Kariya was being  _ weird _ whenever he prompted a response from the Officer, or worse, tried to hang out and be genuinely  _ nice _ to him. What changed in Kariya to become so overbearingly friendly? Raekai just wanted to tell him to fuck off and get lost, but he answered anyways. Maybe he just wanted to be listened to for once.

“I's quie’,” he answered truthfully.

“You like silence, don't you?”

Raekai didn't respond, glancing to the left in uncertainty, before looking back at the Harrier. What kind of game was Kariya playing with him? “...Yeah…” was what he mumbled, carried off by a gust of wind.

There was a flash of lightning in the pause of their responses. Kariya thought it made Raekai look even more destructively beautiful. Raekai thought Kariya's face looked better in the dark.

“It's not really all that quiet, you know?” Kariya said, and as if to confirm his statement, thunder clapped loudly above them.

In a moment of mere seconds, Kariya could see Raekai tense and bristle up, his eyes opening wide, much like an actual  _ cat _ would in the same situation. Raekai crouched down in a flinch, taking a large step closer to Kariya, as if he would protect him against the loud unpleasant noise and the migraine in his skull.

The hairs on their arms brushed briefly. Kariya could feel his chest swell and his heart skip a beat.

It was such a simple action, a reaction out of fear and surprise, yet it was so  _ humane _ , especially for someone like Raekai. Someone so known to be monstrous, yet being so  _ vulnerable _ . Kariya thought it was adorable. Raekai was human in the smallest, most mundane of ways.

" _ Oh _ , fuck me," Raekai hissed out from clenched teeth, looking at the sky, before glaring at Kariya angrily, just to cement the fact he didn't want any smart alec comments coming from the Harrier. Kariya said them in his own mind, regardless.

Raekai pushed Kariya away by the chest and turned to walk away. Kariya followed, eager to listen and understand.

Unfortunately, even as this may have been a calmer version of Raekai, it wasn't anywhere close to the realness of 4am. There wasn't the undefined softness from before. It was just...Raekai, only now he could think clearly more or less. The city was still alive and bustling, but stifled as people shuffled around in their buildings, safe from the rain and annoyed they couldn't go out and about. Raekai's migraines were similar, not quite gone, but numbed and annoying enough for him to not calm down entirely.

Both were soaked to the core of their beings, yet they walked in silence. Raekai enjoyed the peace. Kariya enjoyed the sound of the Officer's voice.

There was still lightning and flashes of thunder, and with each and every time, Raekai would freeze in an almost childish terror at the noise. Kariya felt pity; he couldn't imagine living a life like that. A mind wrought with such intense sounds that it hurt, that the sounds of the city were no longer her music, but a long and torturous pain. Shibuya was beautiful to Kariya, but Raekai couldn't see it, which was a shame. Yet, Raekai was willing to put himself in a less than desirable situation, just to have some sort of release from the largest of his ailments.

Raekai would surely claw Kariya's eyes out if he heard the Harrier taking pity on him.

“How far is Pork City from here again? You live there still, right?” Kariya asked, selfishly curious to see Raekai's residence for himself.

“Yeah.” Raekai answered absentmindedly, kicking a stray stone on the sidewalk, watching it bounce into a puddle. “No’ far a’ all. Why?”

“We should probably get out of the rain. We're both wet to the bone, and my socks are swimming. I can, uh, walk you home if you'd like.”

“Maybe.” Raekai replied, turning sharply to the left towards his apartment. He would like the company in all honesty. It was the route he and Ike would take after grocery shopping. It may have been Kariya, but it wouldn't feel lonely at least.

When they arrived, the desk employee looked up at the two in surprise, but ultimately didn't say anything as Raekai immediately made his way to the elevator, feet squelching in his boots with every step. Kariya followed.

“Nice place.”

“Thanks. I pay ren’.”

Kariya hummed along with the elevator music as they made their way to the top floor, trying to lighten up the mood a bit. Raekai scowled, not caring for some extra sunshine in an elevator.

As they exited, Kariya looked around in awe. Even from the downstairs and the interior of the elevator, and now this hallway, Kariya could see how fancy and pristine the place actually  _ was _ . Kariya and Raekai stood out like two goths sitting in church.

Raekai fiddled with his keys as the two of them stood outside his door. Kariya peeked over Raekai's shoulder, curious to see what was taking the Reaper so long. Swearing under his breath, Raekai gave up trying to find the correct key, and kicked in the handle of the door, causing it to swing open.

“Th’ handle's fine. I did this enough times already. Ike some’imes forge's th'keys inside b'cause we lef’ them on th'table by acciden’.”

There was that feeling in Kariya again. Pity. He knew what is was like to lose someone and talk like they never left. The loss of Sho still hurt him every day. Kariya knew that Ike's Erasure was hard on Raekai. Raekai knew that he was the singular root cause of said Erasure, pretending in order to forget that fact.

Kariya and Raekai stood awkwardly in the doorway, facing each other in an unnerving silence.

Kariya was thinking that he should almost kiss Raekai. Raekai thought he should punch Kariya.

As Kariya smiled, Raekai frowned.

“Thanks, uh, for listen'n. I guess.” Raekai shut the door before Kariya could step inside. Kariya could feel his chest tighten in pain as he coughed, more petals falling from his lips and onto the carpeted floor of the hotel, just like the water dripping from his clothes.


End file.
